Australia goes supersoft as Pirelli reveals tyre choices

13 February 2013

Pirelli has revealed its choice of compounds for the first four races of the 2013 F1 world championship campaign in Australia, Malaysia, China and Bahrain.

With an eye to encouraging strategic thinking from the eleven teams taking part this season, the tyre company has announced that it will take its supersoft compound to Melbourne for the first time since its return to the top flight in 2010. The red-marked rubber will be complemented by the white medium tyre, ensuring that there is a two-step difference in compound.

By contrast, Pirelli has revealed that it will take the two hardest compounds in its five-strong range to round of the season in Malaysia. The orange-coloured hard tyre will partner the medium at Sepang as the sole supplier caters for the high temperatures and abrasive surface characteristic of the circuit.

The medium remains on the menu for China, where it will be joined by the soft compound. Pirelli believes this is the best choice for the comparatively high degradation expected as a result of the demanding Shanghai International track layout, and hopes that the selection will to some close racing.

Like Australia, the annual trip to Bahrain will see a brand new nomination for this season, with the hard and soft compounds working in tandem to ensure plenty of speed in qualifying coupled with durability needed for the race, which is again expected to be staged in high temperatures.

The rules stipulate that, under normal circumstances, each team will receive six sets of the harder compound and five sets of the softer compound for each race weekend. Pirelli will also bring four sets of its intermediate and three sets of wets per driver.